Press plate assembly



` Aprllf7, 1959 D. A. FREEMAN 2,880,529

PRESS PLATE ASSEMBLY Filed May g5, 1955 ooooooooaoo -ooooooooo- ,steamfrom the head plate. :is provided over the steam diffusing means, suchpress plateor pad having a desired surface for United lStates PatentO l2,880,529 PRESS PLATE ASSEMBLY David A. Freeman, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 25, 1955, Serial No. 510,925

2 Claims. (Cl. 38-66) This invention relates to a press plate assemblyfor garment presses for operating upon a Wide variety of fabrics.

As is well known, garment presses have a hinged head, this including asteam chest connected to a suitable source of steam. The steam chestincludes as a part thereof a head plate vof heavy steel, the head platebeing provided with steam apertures spaced about 1 apart.

T hese apertures may vary in size but generally have a diameter of theorder of about 1,46". Disposed over this apertured head plate is somesteam diffusing means and 'a press plate.

The steam ditusing means may be disposed against the head and functionsto distribute the A press plate or press pad operating upon the work tobeA pressed.

l.Becaus'eof the many diierent kinds and types of fabrics '1 i wherebydesired pressing conditions may be readily established. v

The new unit combines a steam diluser and at least one pressI plate as areadily .attachable and detachable assem- 1 bly. Such an assembly may bedesigned so that one assembly may, for example, be useful for texturedtype 'fabrics such as wool and the like.

A different assembly containing a steam diiuser unit and press plate maybe designed for handling smooth fabrics'such as silk and the like.

An-assembly embodying the invention provides a suit able 4steam diiuserplate and a press plate rigidly attached thereto to form a unittherewith, the unit having suitable means for ready attachment to ordetachment from the head of a garment press. In addition to the pressplate which forms a permanent part of the unit, there may beIadditionally provided a supplementary press plate which is readilyremovable from or attachable to the steam diiuser and press plate unit.The supplementary press plate and yunit press' plate may each beprovided with different pressing surfaces so that the unit andsupplementary press plates may provide a compact and all-aroundaccessory to the press head of a garment press for handling a widevariety of work.

For an understanding of` the' invention, reference will now be made tothe drawings wherein exemplary embodiments are illustrated, it beingunderstood that variations may be made without departing from the scopeof the invention except as defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing: Y

Figure l is a plan view of a press -plate assembly embodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail of the press plate assembly illustrated inFig. 1.

ICC

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the press plate assemblylfrom the inside face thereof, certain parts of the steam diffuser beingcut away to illustrate the press plate proper.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 4a is similar to Fig. 4 but shows a modified press plate.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on line 5-5 of Fig. l, this detail alsoshowing a portion of a supplementary press plate in spaced relation tothe press plate assembly.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail on line 6-6 of Fig. l lillustrating thesteam diuser retaining means.

The assembly generally is a unitary structure consisting of a suitablesteam diffusing means and a suitable press plate. Both-the steamdiffuser and press plate may each assume va number of dierent forms.However, a pref ferred steam diffuser and press plate are disclosed.

l The press plate assembly comprises steam diiuser portion generallyindicated by 10 and press plate portion generally indicated by 11. Pressplate portion 11 is made 'of metal sufficiently heavy to beself-supporting. Press plate portion 11 may be made of aluminum or anyother metal or plastic. Steam dituser 10 comprises base plate 14 havingarches 15` formed thereof at intervals, said arches extending laterallyof the body of the diiuser and providing side openings 16 and 17 foreach arch. 'Arches 15 are 'deflected laterally of the body of the steamdiffuser somewhat more than the thickness of the body ot thematerial'itse'lf' to form small openings. The 'arches may extend fromone Aside or from both sides 4ofplate14. *"'As illustrated in Fig.3,'jarehes 15: are-` disposed at spaced intervals, the arches beingoriented -in random 'fashion so that there is no ypredominant pattern.'The arches themselves, however', 'are preferably 'disposed' "at uniformintervals and may be spaced so that there-"are between about 50'andabout 75 arches persqu'are" inch. About 60 arches per square inch issatisfactory. The arches lie in circles of about IAG" in diameter. It isunderstood, however, that these dimensions and numbers "are exemplary.Whilev the drawing shows arches 15 ex- `As an example, apertures 23 mayhave a diameter of between about .020" and about .033" andthe spacing,

While uniform, may vary from a density of between' about per square inchup to as much as 600 per square inch. These dimensions anddensitie's'are exemplary and may be varied. y

Plate 22 has outer or 'pressing surface 25 and inner or rear surface 26.Plate 22 may have small burrs or protuberances 27 for-med on a facearound each aperture 23 during punching.l T hese may be removed if asmooth surface is desired. Plate 22 may be of metal, such as aluminum,stainless steel or the like, having the characteristic of being free ofcorrosion in the presence of steam, water or heat.

'Plate 22 may have particles 28 disposed on the pressing surface thereofto provide a metallized porous but rough surface. Such particles may bealuminum particles, ne sand, grit or any other material or metal. v

Plate 22 may also have smooth pressing surface 25 as illustrated in Fig.4a. p

Referring to the detail in Figs. 5 and 6, the manner of assembling thesteam diiuser plate and press'plate will now be described. Plate 22 isprovided with marginal portion 30 bent upwardly to form a llange andprovided with beaded portion 31.

Nesting within llange 30 is metal angle strip 32. This angle stripextends continuously along the length of flange 30 and may be of onepiece or a number of successive strips. Angle strip 32 has portion 33beaded within beaded portion 31 thereby to form a heavy reinforced beadedge. Angle strip 32 isof solid metal and covers any press plateopenings at the flange.

Steam diffuser plate has its marginal portion overlying edge portion 35of the angle strip. At spaced intervals along the length of bead 31there are provided clamping angle portions 36, tightly gripped Withinbead 31 but overlying the margin of steam diffuser plate 10. Angleportions. 36 may have any desired length along the head and as many areprovided as are necessaryV to retain the diffuser plate in position.Angle portions 36 may be of stainless steel, in which case they may bethinner than the steam dilfuser plate. However, the angle portions maybe of aluminum and should in all cases be stili enough to lock thediffuser plate in position.

Angle strip 32 may be an extension of diffuser plate 14. Angle strip 32may be used Without portions 36 in which case diffuser plate 14 may bespot welded thereto or strip 32 may be disposed over the edge ofdiffuser plate 14. It is also possible to omit strip 32 and use onlyangle portions 36.

Suitable means for maintaining the steam diffuser and press plateassembly on the press head of a garment press may be provided. Thus forexample, springs 38 may be attached to suitable clips riveted to llangeportion 30 of the assembly. Springs 38 may be provided in any desirednumber and may be unhooked from the assembly for the purpose ofpositioning the assembly on the press head.

As has been indicated above, the assembly may have a rough or smoothpressing surface. For all-around pressing work, it is desirable to havepressing plates of smooth and rough surfaces respectively. Accordingly,if press plate 22 has a rough pressing surface as illustrated in Fig. 2,then an additional and separate supplementary press plate 40 (Fig. 5)having a smooth outer surface may be provided, such additional pressplate having suitable snaps or clips or having suitably shapedv edgeportions for ready attachment to the assembly. If, however, press plate22 of the unit has its pressing surface smooth, then additionalseparable press plate 40 will have a rough pressing surface.

Where both press-plates are apertured, it is desirable vto provideagainst blocking of the passages of one by the other plate material.This -may be accomplished in a number of Ways. Thus burrs onr one orboth plates may be used to maintain the two plates spaced. The burrswould be on one or both of the opposing plate surfaces. AIt is alsopossible to have the same number and pattern of perforationsin bothplates and attempt to maintain registration. The simplest procedure isto have the number and pattern of perforations in one plate sutllcientlydifferent from the other plate that there would be a large number ofregistering passages formed.

It is understood that supplementary press plate 40 has the edge portionso shaped as to be susceptible to being sprung over the flanged edgeportion of the steam diffuser and press plate unit assembly. Asillustrated in Fig. 5, the bent ilange shaped portion of supplementarypress plate 40 is laterally offset from the flangerof the diluser andpress plate assembly for ease in illustration. In practice,supplementary press plate 40 would have the flanged marginal portion sodimensioned as to snugly hug the flange portion of the diffuser pressplate assembly.

In the forms of the invention described, the press plate and auxiliarypress plate have` both. been perforated. It spossible to have one orboth press plates solid. For example if plate 22 is solid, thenauxiliary 4 press plate 40 may be used for different surfacecharacteristics. If an air space exists between the two, then theauxiliary press plate may run cool. If press plate 22 is perforated asshown and auxiliary press plate 40 is solid than a hot head press willbe provided.

By virtue of the unitary construction of the steam diuser and pressplate, a compact and uniform product results. Thus a generally constantspace will be provided within which steam may expand and through whichthe expanded steam may pass on to the work. The uniform dimensioning ofthe assembly will provide for constant pressure of the head upon thework during pressing. In distinction to the above, the use of looseadditional plates results in substantial variations of steam volumes andchambers and may also make it difllcult to predetermine the steamtransmission characteristics to the work. It is clear therefore that theuniform mechanical structure provided by the double and triple platearrangement will result in uniform work under uniform operatingconditions.

I claim:

1. An assembly for ready attachment to or removal from a garment press,said assembly comprising a press plate of substantially rigid materialhaving a plurality of apertures therein for the passage of steamtherethrough and having a front pressing surface which isk resistant tocorrosion, heat and steam, a steam diffuser member of substantiallyrigid material and of substantially the same size and configuration asthe rear face of said press plate, said steam diuser member having a.plurality of apertures therein and being disposed against the rear faceof the press plate, said press plate having an edge thereof bent to forma rearwardly extending peripheral flange thereon, the edge of saidflange being bent to form a bead, and a plurality of substantially rigidangle members having an edge of each thereof secured in said bead andhaving portions thereof. overlying said diffuser member and rigidlyengaging the same and holding said press plate and said dilfus'er memberin rm assembly.

2. An assembly for ready attachment to or removal from a garment press,said assembly comprising a press plate of substantially rigid materialhaving a plurality of apertures therein for the passage of steamtherethrough and having a front pressing surface which is resistant' tocorrosion, heat and steam, said press plate having an edge thereof bentto form a rearwardly extending peripheral flange, an angle strip ofsubstantially rigid materialy nested within the flange on the pressplate, a steam dilfuser member of substantially rigid material and ofsubstantially the same size and configuration as the rear face of saidpress plate, said steam diffuser member having a plurality of aperturestherein andv being disposed against vthe rear face of the press plateand against the angle strip, said angle strip forming a spacer betweenthe edge f said diffuser member and the portion of the rear face of' thepress plate which underlies the angle strip, said' angle strip and saidllange having the edges thereof bent to form a bead securing the sametogether, and a plurality of substantially rigid angle members having anedge of each thereof secured in said bead and having portions thereofoverlying and rigidly engaging edge portions of the diffuser memberto'hold said press plate and said diffuser member in rm assembly.

References Cited in the tileA of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS pFreeman Nova l, 1949

